CEO Guest Speakers

• Erica Barnell & Andrew Barnell
• Mike Barnell, Allan Pulliam, & Angela Willis

I really enjoyed Erica and Andrew Barnell's talk. We haven't had much exposure to the business world involving healthcare, so this was a nice change of pace. I've always enjoyed learning about the future of technology, especially since one of their main markets will be providing a cheaper and more pleasant replacement for colonoscopies for our generation. I liked how they talked about the business aspects they learned along their journey; what stood out to me was the age discrimination they faced even though they're 10 years older than all of us. That just means this will be a battle for aspiring entrepreneurs for many years, but it's definitely nice to have a heads up.

I found Mike Barnell's presentation with Alan Pulliam and Angela Willis to be very informative. All of three of them reinforced the seemingly universal message that almost everyone switches gears in some way, shape or form as they go through college or try to find what they want to do in life. I also liked how they covered some managerial lessons, such as how to deal with employees in certain situations and how to deal with customers, and knowing when to refuse service in certain cases.

Jacob Gall
Friday, December 1, 2017Learn More About Jacob

This week I really enjoyed hearing from Andrew and Erica Barnell about their new business. The technology that they are developing has so much potential to change the medical field, and it was amazing to hear their new approach on treatment. They are the only company in the field that is attempting a new strategy for treatment, and it should be more effective. Their goal is not to dominate the field and make huge profits from it, but to make an affordable and less evasive alternative to colonoscopies. This way people will be more willing to get tested, which will lead to being able to prevent more gastronomical diseases. Since, their main target project is long term, they are currently working on spreading their new technology to other parts of the field. That way they can start making profits for their business, and it will also improve treatments for other diseases and animals. Their point is a company needs something to focus on, but diversity is also vital to grow the company. I think that is a good lesson to learn especially for myself because for my personal business I should most likely only start with one product, and hopefully it will be successful enough to where I can expand my product list to several other items.

When the leaders from Precision Practice Management visited us on Friday, I enjoyed hearing about the diversity within their executive branch. They all had different backgrounds and qualities that helps them lead their team. I thought it was interesting to hear about their situations where they had to handle with tough employees. Those decisions are very difficult, I’m sure, but somebody has to make them. Being a leader is not about giving orders to people below you, but it is about taking care of your employees. To me, it seems that PPM does a good job of that in their own company.

Elizabeth Harla
Sunday, December 3, 2017Learn More About Elizabeth

Thursday we met Erica and Andrew Barnell to talk about their business Geneoscopy. Erica Barnell found the company in 2015, they discussed their college education before they started the company; Geneoscopy is developing the next best way to diagnose Gastrointestinal disease by looking at the RNA in the patient’s stool and helps find other disease. I like the fact they they’re so young and they have accomplish such a successful business and they also gave us lessons that they learned along the way that we should follow. Lessons learned were: Age is just a number, if you apply yourself it’s about how much you grow and learn from your experiences, Commit yourself, No is just the beginning of the conversation, Don’t be afraid to ask for help, Never pay for something you can get for free.

Friday Mike Barnell CEO/President of PPM, Alan Pulliam Partner/Owner, and Angela Willis Director of Operations of PPM. They help maintain and support services, each individual talked about their position in their job and what they did before they started working for PPM. Even though all three of their lives were very different they did have something in common, they were not sure where their direction was for their careers and they would’ve never thought they would be where they are now but they are proud of their decisions. One thing that I appreciate that they did was tell how we can make a business better, long lasting, and most successful. Some of the tips they gave us is build your skills to move on to the next platform, you don’t have to take someone down to elevate yourself, build a team in your company that everyone has a position, set expectations for your clients, and you want your business to work with ethical standards.

Dauneshia Holman
Sunday, December 3, 2017Learn More About Dauneshia

This week, Andrew and Erica Barnell of Genescopy came and discussed their business with us. During the visit, we learned interesting facts such as the fact that digestive diseases affect roughly 25% of the of the US population and that since the treatments for those diseases are so uncomfortable, customers often have a poor experience. What is unique about this company is that they were able to develop an RMA extraction process, and become the only company to extract from stool. I’d say that that’s an accomplishment that a company should be proud of. Andrew and Erica provided us with lessons they have learned over time. A few of them are the importance of commitment, how age is just a number in regards to business, never say no a conversation, and have a criteria for success when conducting experiments.

We also got the chance to speak to their father, Mike Barnell (PPM CEO), along with Alan Pulliam and Angela WIllis. They spoke of their experiences before joining PPM and their experiences within it. Important lessons I got out of their presentations were what to do about problem employees and what type of customers you don’t want. Understanding what drives the business and where the primary revenue comes from is also a very important thing to keep in mind, since that is what leads to making money. I liked the stories that they told about their problem employees, especially the one about the woman sleeping under her desk.

Kaleb Leatherman
Sunday, December 3, 2017Learn More About Kaleb

 “You need to think differently.” Andrew Barnell said these words and I really meditated on these words. How can I think differently than everyone else? The answer is still up in the clouds for me. Andrew Barnell is the CEO of Geneoscopy alongside with his sister Erica Barnell who is the CEO of their company. Andrew said, just because you are young does not mean you cannot do it. This was really another eye opener for me because I am sitting around right now waiting on myself to go to college and then start on my future when I can be starting on my future right now at this very moment. Andrew said age is a number. Which is very true because if it is something that you are really passionate about you will do it at any age young or old. Mr. Barnell said the difference between people who want to become an entrepreneur and who actually do is commitment. You have to stay committed to whatever dream that you are trying to pursue. This all ties back into what Mr. Derek Betz said you have to be “pig committed.” If you are not pig committed into your own business it will fail. You have to really put your all into what you are trying to do to succeed. Mr. Barnell also said if you are going to fail, fail fast. He said have a criteria for success. So that means to have different levels of what successful pertaining to you. Another statement Andrew said, it is about execution and not ideas. You can have a million and one ideas, but it is how you actually do them and execute them to the very best that count. Geneoscopy seems like a very successful business that have to very smart people running it and it will continue to get strive as a business. “Achieve the next platform and go to the next”, Mike Barnell said these inspiring words. He was assisted by two very smart people Alan Pulliam and Angela Willis. Mike said strive to do the best because you never know what opportunities are going to come at you. Which is a very key statement, because if you’re are always doing your best and striving for greatness opportunities will keep coming your way. Alan Pulliam said that a lot of your satisfaction is going to come from what you are passionate about.

Martrell Robinson
Sunday, December 3, 2017Learn More About Martrell

The only speaker I got to witness and listen to were brother and sister, Erica and Andrew Barnell. They are two very smart people who are in the process of growing and creating their own business, Geneoscopy. It was amazing to hear from two young people who are creating, what seems to be, a very successful and major company in the future. It is great to hear their background, where they came from, and how they thought to build a company like this one. One of the greatest things I thought that they spoke about in their presentation, were ten lessons they have personally learned throughout their lives and creating their own business. It constrained lessons such as, “Age is just a number” and “Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you, who you can trust, and then delegate to them.” Lessons such as these, are lessons each and every one of us will experience in our future, and it was great to hear it from young business people such as Andrew and Erica Barnell.

James Monken
Sunday, December 3, 2017Learn More About James

The speakers of this week were amazing especially, Geneoscopy. They really presented the information on their business in a way that all the students could understand it. And they provided us with 10 great lessons they’ve learned, and the one that was has stuck with me is, “if you want to take the island, burn the boats”. This is said by Julius Caesar and I believe it as if you want to commit to something such as taking the island. Then you need to cut off everything that could take you away from that in this case the boats.

Tristen Missey
Sunday, December 3, 2017Learn More About Tristen